Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1887-11-09
MARK TWAIN'S YOUTH.
How He Came to be . Pilot on the Mis-
sissippi.

How He Came to be Pilot on the MIS-
sissippi.
Captain Horace Bixby of the mag
nificent steamer City Of Baton Rouge
! is the most popular man on Southern
waters Capt. Bixby is Well-pre-
served relic of the golden age OF the
river and has been constant student
| of currents and chutes for forty Years.
Horace Bixby is the man who taught
Mark Twain how to steer steamboat,
| and the success of his wllilom cub has
reflected considerable glory on the
tutor. That was away back in the
SOS, when Bixby was q pilot, and af-
ter all these years he is now OF the
opinion that pilot is a bigger man
than a captain any day, and especially
OH dark night in tight place.
Capt. Bixby is now 81 years OF age,
and he says: II am just nine and
half years older than Sam Clemens"
| When in reminiscent mood the other
day he said: cit was quite remarka-
BILE how Sam Clemens happened to be-
come pilot. He has written agreat
deal about it himself, but don't be-
lieve he ever told it all. 1t was in the
spring of 81. was then running reg
ularly between ST. Louis and New Or
leans and occasionally doing an out
side Job on the Ohio River from Gin
cinnati to New Orleans. 1t was on
one of these outside trips that | first
met Clemens. / was taking the Paul
Jones down from Cincinnati and he
was passenger on board. In those
times the pilot-house was a great loaf
| ing place for passengers and pilots out
of work. They came in, spit all over
the wheel, snapped lies, and then left
the pilot on duty TO slosh around in
the debris. didn't like it a bit, and
/ was mighty short with all passengers
who attempted to talk with me. One
morning when the boat reached ISL
and No. 35 in the Mississippi River,
and we were booming along at q good
gait, a young man walked into the pi-
| dollhouse, and, after watching me for
| few minutes, said 'G-o-o-d m-o-r-ll-
ing in drawing manner.
Il said good morning mighty
sharp, thinking it would freeze him
out. But it didn't. He said:
".D-o-n'-t You w-a-n-t boy to
| l-e-a-r-n the r-i-y-e-rp
| ".No; don't want any boy to learn
the river. What are. you pulling your
words that way for?
".I don't know, y-o-u w-i-l-l
have to ask My m-o-t-h-e-r She
d-o-e-s the s-a-m-e t-h-:-n-g.
Il thought he was chatting nae when
he said that and looked up, but his
! face was just as sober as a preachers.
| He then asked me if knew the Bow
ems who were on the river. / told him
| that did and worked with one of
| them in 1853. He told me that the
Bowens lived next door to his father,
Judge Clemens of Hannibal, Mo. In
| his drawing way he told me of his
plans. He mad learned printing at
Hannibal on his brothers paper, but
it did not agree with him, and he was
going to South America for his health.
He liked the river, however, and would
abandon his projected invasion of
South America for an opportunity to
become pilot.
"'There is only one thing that would
| induce me to teach you the river,
said I.
What's thatp' he asked.
+" Money said I.
".Money?' he echoed.
/" That's just it, ! answered.
elbow much?' he gasped.
+" Five hundred dollars said.
"'Well, amt got that much said
he.
"'Then you better get it if you want
to learn the river replied.
"'Tve got eight lots up in Keokuk,
Iowa, but | don't know what they
woult, bring, and I've got 1000 acres
| of land in Tennessee that can get 25
cents an acre for, said he summing up
his assets. We talked for some time
and he impressed me very fayorably.
! 1t was finally agreed that he was to
pay me 800 down and $50 every six
months until the debt was paid. told
| own clothes and board while in port.
On the river he would receive his
board and lodging free. He started in
as cub on the Aleck Scott and he
learned rapidly. He was then just
| past 81, and rather eccentric. He al
ways had writing paper and pencil
around the pilot-house, and was eter-
nally scribbling away at something.
seldom ever tried to investigate the
| mysteries of his manuscript, but soon
turned his talent to good account. In
those days pilots made out reports of
the condition of the channel, and
| Clemens at once developed into bril-
liant and picturesque river reporter.
His reports were humorous and con-
tanned all the information, and were
| frequently copied into the papers just
ais he wrote them. This, / think, was
| the first public writing that he did, ex-
cept, perhaps, some squibs for the
Hannibal paper. He was good boy,
not addicted to dissipation, and obeyed
orders. He hated suspenders, and
used to enjoy himself in very loose
clothes, with his hair reached back.
We steered together on many trips.
and then he changed around and in
Two years received a license that made
him full-fedged pilot. His first boat
| was the Alonzo Child, ander Capt. De
Haven, and he kept turning the wheel
until the war broke out. His boat was.
then in the South, and he pilotcd three
months for the Confederacy. Then he
got through the lines and went home,
but after short stay at Hannibal he
went as volunteer for three months
| in the army of Gen. Sterling Price,
| the Missouri Confederate. He fought
| for the Confederacy three moro months
on land and then retreated in good or
der, with his right resting on St
Louis. His brother, Grin Clemens,
/ kvae d i that tftna Nominated geeratarv